Pentax K-1 Mark II: What you need to know

Pentax K-1 Mark II: What you need to know

The Pentax K-1 was one of the most-anticipated cameras in recent memory. After many starts-and-stops, this full-frame DSLR finally arrived in 2016, much to the delight of Pentax photographers. It offered superb image quality from its 36MP CMOS sensor, 5-axis in-body image stabilization with several tricks up its sleeve, a unique (to say the least) articulating LCD and a body built like a tank.

The K-1 Mark II carries all of that over, but improves upon the K-1's image quality thanks to a new 'accelerator unit' while adding the ability to use the Pixel Shift high-res mode without a tripod. Ricoh also mentions that the Mark II's AF tracking algorithms have been improved.

Comments

Sony A7 iii just announced for the same price as K-1ii. Just emphasizes again how much value there is in the K-1 ii. It competes in IQ vs. d850, a7riii, 5div, 5dsr but is priced at the level of a7iii, 6dii and d750.

This article could be made much shorter and to the point:"Pentax K-1 Mark II: What you need to know:In a first for a 'new' SLR model, this is such a minor upgrade that Pentax will allow existing owners to send off their Mk I and get it upgraded to a Mk II. For just $550, you get to keep the same partially worn-out shutter mechanism, battery, and scrapes of your existing camera, while adding a few features. You might decide to save your $550 and wait for the next model."

Maybe they have fixed those shutter speed problems which can cause blurry photos? I also want electronic shutter timelapse mode and automatic bracketing combined with pixel shifting. Those software features should have been in K-1 because K-1 is a specialized camera with lower price tag. Canon is still at the top with its firmware because they can run scripts via community hack. Pentax cameras could introduce more open firmware which allow scripts without hacking to beat Canon in this area.

Pixelshift hand-hold is a killer feature. Even this feature is much better here integrated, than into comparsion the A7R III, which is a great cam, but by no means that weatherproof as Pentax, period. When one brand does really deserve the quality, being "weather-proof" then it's Pentax, period. I've shot the K10D (2006) into harsh conditions, even rain, snow & sand, and it have had never failed me, thanks for it's various, internal seals.Nowadays, a semi-pro Body like the K-1 II is even much better designed, and being sealed.(The camera store YT Video clearly showed water inside the battery compartment, and it's logical, because later, much respected lens rentals site made a disassembling, and it clearly shows - the A7R III doesn't have any kind of weather seal at the bottom...oh my...) The Nikon D850 into comparsion - passed this weather test by the Camera Store with flying colors. :)

Pixel-shift is a killer feature, these pictures are better than a single shot from the D850.

So far I've found pixel-shift to be useless outside of indoor product photography. Anything outside at all seems to have an issue ever when I can't detect wind. I've A and B photos shot on a tripod and I've found artifacts show up pretty easy. It's possible i'm not using the software correctly but as we all know the software Pentax has for processing pixelshift is terrible.

My flash system delivers predictable results with Olympus' pixel shift and I don't want to change my lighting method which has taken a lot of time to nail down. Not only would it be expensive to acquire good continuous lighting equipment to replace this, it would be hard to duplicate the power and the effect of some modifiers (i.e. deep bowl reflector, zoom spot projector) without resorting to hot lights which would create other problems.

Did you know Pentax has an all WEATHER-RESISTANT Camera Lineup!If you shoot outdoors in all weather conditions, you need a Pentax DSLR. This is what Pentax Owners Expect and sets Pentax apart from all other brands. What other brand has… 6 WR DSLR Bodies in 3 Formats.13 WR Lenses, Plus 3 WR Lenses for 645Z.2 WR Flash Units, Plus an LED constant light source for video.3 WR Battery Grips.Shooting you kids football game and it starts to rain heavy, Pentax owners don't care as parents with other brands put their cameras away and then ask you for photos.FYI: I shoot Nikon, I have shot Pentax 35mm and 645 and 67 in my film days and 645 Digital.

I had a Pentax K20D. I shot with it in continuous rain for 3 hours. No sissy plastic dog-dropping clear bag to "keep the rain off." It worked perfectly and never had a problem thereafter. They know what they are doing in that department.

DiffractionLtd said; 'A lot of people never take their cameras into bad weather'.You're correct, but that is likely due to the owners manual for most cameras tell you not to let the camera, lens, battery grip and flash get wet. Pentax is telling owners to keep on shooting in the rain, snow, cold ect.Yes Canon and Nikon have some models of cameras and lenses that are WR, but Pentax has all 6 cameras, 16 lenses, 3 battery grips and 2 flash units. This is an important feature that others don't offer at the Pentax price point.FYI: I shoot Nikon

Pentax advertises its WR capabilities more than Canon or Nikon do (and still people say they don’t do marketing), and at trade shows they sometimes demonstrate these capabilities. But they don’t guarantee it any more than Canon or Nikon do. They do not, for example, specify IP ratings.

It is true that their entry-level gear is often WR when Canon and Nikon (and others) are not. However there is no reason to expect them to do any better than a higher-level Canon or Nikon camera.

Therefore, the initial comment that “people who shoot in the elements need a Pentax DSLR” is demonstrably false.

Starbase218; Your correct that Canon and Nikon have cameras that are WR, but you can have it with a Pentax at a lower price. Both Pentax flash units are also WR as are all of their Battery Grips.All Pentax DSLR's have Image Stabilization in the body, so every lens or when using close-up tubes is stabilized. I shoot Nikon, but for a family who just want vacation photos and their kids in school sports. Pentax has a lot going for it at a good price.

Check up the prices and you'll see that Pentax lenses are less expensive than Nikon lenses, although you are able to get Tamron lenses at less cost than the Pentax version.

Pentax recommend 10 of their current primes for the K-1 & 5 new D FA zooms covering 15mm to 450mm (the trinity are are F2.8).

But yes, we do want them to release more, especially the fast primes on their lens map, ultra wide angle, wide angle, standard, and portrait, and the sooner the better. Until then, I'm happy, not "SAD", to make do with what they offer plus a few of their legacy lenses.

ronniemac Because the market is FLOODED with an abundance of quality Canon and Nikon lenses... produced at a ratio of easily over ONE HUNDRED TO ONE against Pentax... any photographer can go to places like the camera swapmeet (http://www.bargaincamerashows.com) and find literally THOUSANDS of refurbished and slightly used Canon and Nikon lenses available at discounted prices... at less than half the price of their Pentax counter-parts... while NEVER seeing a single Pentax lens available from ANY of those same vendors.

ronniemac i really really really looked hard at the K1 to upgrade my 5Dmki but there is no way i can afford pentax glass .or have the range of glass i have now..with Canon or nikon you have 25+ years of back lens catalog i can choose from with pentax i would have to buy new or nearly new ....my Canon 80-200F2.8L its a very sharp lens (sharper than its next 2 replacements) i pay £240 GBP my 85mm F1.8 i pay £165 my 100mm F2 £195 my 35mmF2IS £285 my Tokina 28-70F2.6-2.8 (match the canon 28-70L for sharpness) £85 17-35F2.8L £260..yes i wait til i get a bergine but a S/H pentax 70-200 F2.8 and the 24-70 F2.8 will probably all i get if i sold up ...maybe

@GarysInSoCal and davev8: There are plenty of Pentax lenses on the used market, truly. Just because they're not at bargaincamerashows doesn't mean they're not out there. I have 18 lenses for my K1 and 645Z, and only 4 of them were bought new.

For me FF is the sweet spot between IQ-Size-Weight-Cost but that is just my opinion.

I think that Pentax should be congratulated for offering and updating an advanced and reasonably priced Full Frame camera. Now Pentax users have more choice which has to be good news for the brand users.

SAD... a pretty remarkable camera... SERIOUSLY deficient lens selection... one of the primary reasons this camera will have a hard time selling. Oh they have a few decent lenses alright... but RIDICULOUSLY overpriced compared to their Nikon and Canon counterparts, who each have 3-4 times as many lenses options to choose from... at FAR MORE reasonable prices.

And the aftermarket lens makers will be pretty much NO WHERE to be found. They won't tool up to produce K-mount lenses cause THEY KNOW they will lose their aszes as that inventory will sit on the shelves... while they make profits hand over fist on Nikon and Canon mount lenses.

Do I shot with a Pentax?... buy a clue idiot... would I mention all it's shortcomings and then turn around and buy one... OR even own one?... LOL... and what 'fanboy' am I?... did I list what I shoot with?... LOL... not even... did people agree with my comment?... SEVERAL did... who's the ignoramus?... now we know... :D

You don't even sound like a CEO for 25yrs in photography and your works are over processed, too much HDR and cooking https://photos.modelmayhem.com/evidence_upload/140812/22/53eafc98ef960.jpg You even sound worst than Steve Ballmer who criticized Android during the early days and bought Nokia. LOL. I guess you are a narrow minded CEO and that explains the insecurities and ignoramus. CEO are supposed to be open minded and thinks outside the box. ROFL

MacroBokeh 1st i am no fanboy i have/had sony, nikon. fuji and canon but canon is my main system...how you ascertain that i am a fanboy by reading 1 sentence i don't know .but i would leave canon in a heartbeat if another system on the hole was better for me i looked it pentax VERY closely...liked a lot of what i see.. no i use a very small part of the canon lens catalog but the lenses i have pentax dont have some of them ..the ones pentax do have are much more expensive than my canon lenses as i have some very good glass from the 1990s thats cheap ..of the 10 are so canon lenses i use just replacing 2 of the F2.8 zooms with pentax would cost more than the sale of the all my canon glass..... looking it some of your previous posts you sound like a rude condescending person that i would not like to meet

Dave, your purchase decision makes sense. If Pentax doesn't cover those particular lenses that you want, then that's a very reasonable & valid issue for you.

Gary, whether or not a company has a deficiency in lenses is relative to their target market.

(1) Pentax could do a better job by offering a small, but rather complete array of fast FF lenses, several tilt-shift, extension tubes, and a flash protocol that allows photographers to take advantage of 3rd party professional strobes, and lenses, without having to find a 'work around'.

(2) If Pentax is courting a larger market- they could do a lot better by concentrating on building a great camera "SYSTEM".

One thing is clear, Pentax has their act together in so many ways in camera design/features, and having a great camera "system" would welcome a much wider array of photographers *who are able and willing to buy into the brand*.

People prefer having a lot of lenses as collector than really using them. We live in a fantastic world: having a lot of things but doing no nothing with it. The K-1 is a fantastic SDLR camera, the best compromise we can get today for mostly of using it... I have Leica-R lenses, I had Canon EOS 5D MKI, MKII, EOS 6D, experienced 5D MKIII, tried MKIV but the Pentax one runs into another category... Actually, there are fantastic gems in Pentax, 31mm, 85/1.4, 80-200/2.8, 200mm, 300mm, new 15-30/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8 and so on...

Not even Ricoh would allow that; 6DMk2 offers significant upgrade, way beyond K-1Mk2. It includes new mirror mechanism and the all new AF module too. K-1Mk2 delivers just minor processing improvements on top existing mirror mechanism and existing AF module. Fujifilm would deliver 50% of such upgrades on existing tech for free, but Ricoh now is charging for them.

Give it up Raist3D. Some Pentax users are not dumb, and I certainly know Pentax gear and lenses; it is the accelerator unit that Ricoh is using as an excuse for hardware upgrade, and all it does is smoothing the signal to reach better hi-ISO using existing (old) sensors. I am not interested in good 800K ISO, nor in accelerator. Better AF and the framerate are far more important, and K-1Mk2 ain't getting new AF module, nor new mirrorbox, no. For less than an extra grand, one gets D850 which is superior in everything, including DR, and K-1 Mk2 deal for existing K-1 users is no deal at all.

Seems like many Pentax users disagree with you. It's only fair to point out that you are paying for an upgrade that many companies don't bother doing. You don't have to upgrade.

Swapping a motherboard by someone costs money. Then people wonder how a company is not being profitable they want something for nothing.

You can sure buy the D850 and.. well? The D850 is not a Pentax. Doesn't have the tilt LCD or the pixel shift. And that's fine, different camera. Different people like different things. Superior here is more than DR, but also the menus, usability, what features you like etc.

The upgrade is quite a good way for people to give Pentax some money. It’s hard otherwise because Pentax don’t have many products and even fewer new ones, so it’s not easy to give them a sub from time to time even if one wants to. For those who plan to keep their K1 for a long time, the upgrade is likely worth it. Not so sure the idea makes sense for those who change cameras more often. We’ll see. It’s too soon to know how the new camera or the upgrade perform in practice and that will have a big influence on potential upgraders.

I had a Canon EOS 6D, certainly the best price quality price digital camera that Canon has produced. I switched to Pentax K-1 when 6D MKII released as its sensor is not better than the MKI. I was afraid doing it but today, I do not regret a second. The K-1 is a fantastic camera for my needs.... far better than EOS 5D MKIV...

With each new year film is becoming more expensive to process, and old cameras more difficult to repair. At some point, shutter curtain will be broken, exposure metering will be all over the place, all beyond repair, and nothing could be done about it. Unfortunately, such simpler DSLR camera must be digital. I am hoping for Nikon and their Df2. If they deliver Df2, and fix issues with Df, that would be it.

A humble plea: *please* stop the nonsense of excess precision in ISO numbers. Saying "ISO 819,200" instead of ISO 820k is ridiculous. The difference is 0.01% of a stop!

In fact, it'd be better to go 3200, 6400, 12k, 25k, 50k, 100k, 200k, 400k, 800k. The difference between 800k and 812,200 is still only about 0.3%. This is completely washed out by the dozens of other sources of imprecision in photography — and even if it weren't, is completely imperceptible.

This is probably why Nikon uses terms like Hi1 and Hi2 for really high ISO values. But yeah I agree, and I actually wish Nikon would stop doing that because I don't know where I am if I'm at Hi-something (except that I'm really high :)).

My preference would be for every doubling of iso to equate to one unit of count with a preffix of 'R' for Resolution*:iso 100=R1iso 200=R2iso 400=R3iso 800=R4iso 1,600=R5iso 3,200=R6iso 6,400=R7iso 12,800=R8iso 25,600=R9iso 51,200=R10iso 102,400=R11iso 204,800=R12iso 409,600=R13iso 819,200=R14it would avoid the embarrassment of future developments being:iso 1,682,400=R15iso 23,64,800=R16iso 47,29,600=R17iso 94,59,200=R18iso 18,918,400=R19iso 37,826,800=R20I mean are we going to end up saying "iso thirty seven million eight hundred and twenty six thousand and eight hundred"? That would be nonsense, ridiculous, idiotic, ludicrous and absurd in one large number!

Or "R twenty". Nice!

But all figures are meaningless without an agreed standard so that image quality is related to the claim. This is really what matters to users.

PS *Can't use 'S' for Sensitivity or Stop because it could be confused with S for Seconds.

Or we just use the same approximations as shutter speed: 1 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000 1/2000. Notice the slight jumps between 1/8 and 1/15 and again between 1/60 and 1/125? They make successive numbers way easier to remember. And once you gat to 1/1000 or more you can simply use 1/1k 1/2k etc.

So for ISO that would be 100 200 400 800 1500 3000 6000 12500 25000 50000 100k 200k. And once we get to 1600k and 12000k we again adjust. 3000k 6000k 12500k 25000k 50000k 100M 200M etc. Or perhaps introduce the k and M a bit earlier.

But we're already past that since we have gotten used to ISO 1600. But anyway, think of this as starbase218's sensitivity stop system (or Quadruple-S ® ;)).

I'm really trying to get away from doubling numbers, that's why I suggest R1, R2, R3, etc. It would be a regulated indicator of sensitivity. Unlike time, iso is a abstract expression as are its numbers.

I wonder if a firmware update can enable the handheld pixel shift in the KP. It seems to be a software solution not a change in the SR mechanism since a board change in the K1 will enable it. The KP already has the accelerator chip.

For me the camera is a tool, not a religion. Those for which cameras are a religion, are often tools. For me, the K-1 is there to do a job and solve problems. Things like catch-in-focus and pixel shift are easily dismissed as Gimmicks - until you start using them. Pixel shift is great for any static subject, so landscapes, still life, or product photography - I use it all the time. IF the K-1 II can deliver a similar capability handheld, that would be wonderful. Catch in focus allows you to use your camera as an automated wildlife camera. The camera waits for a subject to be in focus, and it takes the shot. You can combine that with continuous shooting modes. When that shy squirrel FINALLY pokes his head out, click-click-click ... while you drink coffee. When that humming bird approaches the feeder, click-click-click. Plus, if you like manual lenses, it makes using them very easy. IBIS makes lens, even one you made at home, usable handheld.

As a Canon user, more and more tempted by Fuji cameras, I tried the K-1 mainly for curiosity... It really impressed me. Great ergonomics, really great, a really solid body. If I have to consider a different SLR than Canon, K-1 will be that one. I like Pentax keeping its tradition, even in upgrades. +++

Hardware. There's at least a new mainboard (which includes the new "accelerator unit" and maybe other tweaks). You have the option of getting the new mainboard installed in your (original) K-1, at a cost.No camera maker would go through the trouble of launching a new model, if they can release a new firmware instead.

This is a very capable, but big and heavy camera; the most complex DSLR ever made. It works well with current new FF lenses, which are all zooms. Users have asked representatives of the company whether there will be a lighter FF camera branded as Pentax, but the K-1 is currently all what's on the plate. An addition of a smaller, lighter and simpler FF camera to the Pentax FF line (without SR, pixel-shift, astro-tracer, ludicrous ISO, what-not) — would be most welcome.

Full-frame cameras with IBIS can weigh as little as 600g (1.32 lb), just look at Sony's A7 II. All Pentax needs to do to shave off about 40% of the K-1 weight is replace the pentaprism and mirrorbox with an EVF, and replace that spider-hinged LCD screen with something that's not designed to hold the camera dangling with a 560/5.6 lens attached.

It won't be a DSLR, but it will still be a great camera that's much smaller and lighter than the K-1 and (assuming main-sensor phase-detect AF is used) is capable of much of the same.

Prognathous,Keep in mind that, for Ricoh, releasing its first true MILC (not a Pentax K-01 successor, which would not be compact), with a shorter lens mount-to-sensor distance, requires an accompanying brand new line of lenses, because you do not want to use only the existing lenses with an adapter, don't you ?And I am afraid that Ricoh is not strong enough to build a new FF MILC system...IMHO, a smaller, cheaper, less featured DSLR is the easiest way to go for Ricoh. With full support of the M lenses, of course ;-)

I guess Prognathous has the right interpretation of your suggestion. I was about to say that it did not make sense for Pentax to make a "light" K-1 DSLR. Given its place in the market, it's the bells and whistles that are selling the K-1.

Karroly, it mostly depends on AF performance and accuracy. If the sensor-based PDAF would be good enough with current K mount lenses, then there's no need for a new line of lenses. Sony showed that both A-mount and EF lenses can focus swiftly and accurately on E-mount bodies, so it's definitely in the realm of possible.

A 600 gram body (or even 700 gram) instead of 1 KG is good enough reduction in weight. No need to aim for less. Getting rid of the flipping mirror and switching to EVF (which I for one prefer over DSLR viewfinder) would provide users with much of what is attractive in mirrorless cameras. I don't think many people who buy FF cameras are looking for tiny size and weight, those who do should look at APS-C and smaller sensors.

Being able to use non-native MF lenses is another advantage of mirrorless cameras, but one that's probably not a deciding factor for many who are choosing a system.

I don't care at all for AF. A fully manual DSLR, which can be slimmed down to some 500g, is what I would like to have. I am sick of auto-everything, and zillions of bells and whistles that weigh a ton!In short, one Leica M DSLR alternative, to use with a ton of manual lenses available. That's all!

Prognathous,"If the sensor-based PDAF would be good enough with current K mount lenses, then there's no need for a new line of lenses"There are some contradictions in your wishes. You want a compact and lightweight MILC, but using current lenses designed for cameras with a mirror. It means : either the mirroless body is as deep as a DSLR (like the Pentax K-01), or you need an adapter to compensate for the shorter flange distance. In both cases, you do not get something as compact and lightweight as the Sony A7 series with native lenses...

Karroly - I'm not wishing for a full frame compact camera. I'm just suggesting (as a response to Zvonimir Tosic comment above) that a far more compact and light FF K-mount camera is possible. I believe that many people would be interested to buy one even if it only supported K-mount lenses, but not if AF would be worse than that of the K-1.

A 600 gram Sony A7 II is not a pocketable camera by any means. Neither would be a K-mount camera with similar attributes. The longer flange distance of K-mount only affects the ability to support foreign lens mounts, which is something I'm sure less people care about than swift and accurate AF.

The legendary hostile Pentax fanboys arrived.. Don't look below. It started out nicely and interesting. Now here they are poisoning the well others that actually care about using the camera have built before them

You see a pattern in a lot of commenters. Oh what a nice camera, if only it weighed 2oz less they could take my money! Or if it was mirrorless. Or if the frame rate was a little higher. Or if the AF was better. Oh that 15-30 zoom is a nice lens, if only it was 14-28, 16-35, 12-17, etc, I'd be first in line and they could take my money! These people are never going to buy anything. Too heavy, too large, too expensive, too many / not enough megapixels. I think it's a great camera, obviously not aimed at sports, but there's a lot to like.

Old cameras .... you've hit the nail firmly on the head.So many people with ideas, usually keyboard warriors, many of whom wouldn't have the money to fulfill all these pipe dreams anyway .... those idea's are often out of left field to fulfill the niche of 1 in 100000.

The k1 has AF which is more than enough for most who generally use af s ..... even a lot of sport's shooters do

Its an astro landscape general shooting centred camera and these improvements will push it over the top.

Pentax surprised me when they released the original K-1with 36MP sensor at unheard of $1800 price point. This Dynamic Pixel Shift mode would really amaze me if it can work on static scenes with good success rate.

Why is it every time Pentax does anything, all the Pentax ‘Experts’ on DPR, who don’t even own Pentax, explain why it’s too slow/too late/too expensive/outdated/won’t sell and then they insult all Pentax owners for buying into the dying brand in the first place, why? Is it because Pentax keeps doing its own thing and for some reason, non-Pentax owners just don’t get it! Pentax K-1 owners can update their cameras to a Mark II and for some reason, non-K1 owners don’t like it!Is it because Pentax owners don’t switch brands every couple of years just to get the newest, greatest, biggest, smallest, lightest, shiniest, gripyest, bestest, mostest, cheapest, expensivest camera or lens; they just keep shooting with their old Pentax camera. FYI: Yes I know, some of the words I used are not real words.

Maybe you are right. This doesn’t prevent people to have open eyes and see what is good or wrong. Pentax problem has always been that they have good products but the problem,is that others have better products maybe and most of all a coherent lens program : same aesthetic, decent’prices (even cheaper than Pentax for some), f1.8 and f1.4 primes. Pentax has too many zooms, too many « look » differences, no really shining lens excepted one or two. That is the problem : people buy a system not only a body.

It's because most of the people here are gear heads and not photographers, and the majority of those that are here have never sold an image in their life, much less operated a photography business. They don't understand Pentax and are for the most part Canikon fans, and have never even picked up and shot with a Pentax.

"people buy a system not only a body." This tells it all. "People" in general have a lot of spare money to buy a camera system or they must cease to exist. I wonder what kind of people is "dansclic". Probably a "problem spotter". What about photographers who have plenty of K mount lenses, who like Pentax colours, who doesn't need technology packed FF cameras but an affordable one. There are plenty of totalitarian minds here. I've never owned a Pentax camera by the way.

Dansclic has obviously not even looked up the pentax lens line up! Unlike Canon and Nikon they actually make high quality APS-C lenses, Like the superb rendering Da limiteds 15, 21, 35macro, 40 and 70, and the weather sealed DA* series lenses 16-50/2.8, 50-135/2.8, 60-250/4, 55/1.4, 200/2.8 300/4 and soon the 11-18/2.8. All of them come with top of the line lens coatings that exceed the competitions best, which means they have outstanding contrast, colours and flare control. The DSLR competition on the other hand has a 17-50/2.8 and a cheap plastic pancake lens and that about it. Mostly its a bunch of consumer level zooms with crappy coatings to choose from before they try and jawbone you into buying an expensive FF system to get decent lenses. Of course the FF line up is a bit limited, did we mention the FA limiteds, some of the best lenses ever made, referred to as like Ziess but with AF. Then of course we have the a decent trio of F2.8 zoom. More awesome lense will come.

Dansclic; you are correct and many/most/all Pentax owners know that other cameras may have slightly better specs in some areas and at a higher price; the K-1 like all Pentax cameras offers a lot of features at a lower price. Pentax owners like to shoot outside in all weather conditions, sooo…All, Yes All 6 Pentax DSLR bodies are Weather-Proof or Weather-Resistant.13 Pentax Lenses are Weather-Resistant, Plus 3 Lenses for WR 645Z.All Pentax DSLR’s have Built-in Image Stabilization (not including 645Z).These are features that Pentax owners expect in all Pentax DSLRs.

Maybe one could use hatred on Dpreview as a contrarian indicator. As an example, think of the stock market. When the mass bulk crowd likes a stock or some new investment mechanism, watch out (remember the tech stock collapse?). That warns you it is time to do exactly the opposite. The same may apply to cameras. When the crowd here hates it and goes on and on about its shortcomings, it is likely to have some real artistic advantages (examples could include Pentax, Fuji, or Sigma products, film, or monochrome imaging).

While we certainly hope pentax released an F4 series at some point it’s obviously early days. The APS-C F2.8 zooms with a KP do offer a similar IQ to a affordable 24mp FF setup in terms of Weight, total cost, and DOF.

Kudos to Pentax/Ricoh for continually pushing the envelop in DSLR technology and for providing this upgrade option to their customers! DSLR's become obsolete way to soon. Other brands (like Nikon & Canon) should do the same!

Think of how many DSLR have bene introduced since Ricoh acquired Pentax. Whatever happens in this complex industry—BRAVO. A different niche, but like Leica, perhaps Pentax can prosper in its own niche of advanced enthusiasts.

cirtapfotos, thanks for your opinion, it's based on using the K-1 or other Pentax cameras, correct! You need to update your product list as it shows Nikon D750, D850 and before that Sony. So many Pentax experts who have never owned one! ORYou do own/shoot Pentax, but on this forum act like you don't.

Did you miss the part about the new electronics? With faster processing? That's hardware, not firmware. I'm not a Pentax owner, but I think this is a great move by Ricoh/Pentax and a good swift kick to the rear of other manufacturers which keep selling old re-badged gear.

Thanks for the 10 or less Pentax Buyers...Keep up the great work...But Pentax as usual ...a lil late to the big party...and still late by still using a 5 year old Sony Sensor...It is like buying a Benz with a crappy GM Motor in it.

Wow, what a sad and disturbed person. Turns their nose down and insults everyone and everything but the best in their mind! Why is it every time Pentax does anything, all the Pentax ‘Experts’ on DPR, who don’t even own Pentax, explain why it’s too slow/too late/too expensive/outdated/won’t sell and then they insult all Pentax owners for buying into the dying brand in the first place, why? Is it because Pentax keeps doing its own thing and for some reason, non-Pentax owners just don’t get it! Pentax K-1 owners can update their cameras to a Mark II and for some reason, non-K1 owners don’t like it!Is it because Pentax owners don’t switch brands every couple of years just to get the newest, greatest, biggest, smallest, lightest, shiniest, gripyest, bestest, mostest, cheapest, expensivest camera or lens; they just keep shooting with their old Pentax camera. Note: Yes I know, some of the words I used are not real words. FYI: I wrote this before your last post, boy did I nail it!

MyReality. My comment was in response to Cirtapfotos ignorant remark about the SONY sensor in the K1. And don't lecture me about Canon, I shot Canon for years and still would be if the sensors performed to the current state of the art, or, if I was shooting sports photography. But i shoot landscapes, nature, travel. I picked the right tool for my job. Stop being another typical fanboy.

@utphoto - I am not a Canon fanboy. I shoot a variety of subjects like you with Canon, Nikon and Mamiya 6x7 film.I was simply pointing out that Canon is not as bad as people think. If they were, they would not be #1 in the market with amateurs and pros. A camera is more than just the sensor. Take a look at some of the past photo essays by pros on DPR and notice what camera brand was used the most.I have nothing against the K-1, except the AF. If the test shows the AF and some minor thing have improved, I would consider it a very good value for the same money.

@MyReality what was used that the Olympics isn't at all relevant. The only two manufacturers that actively pursue that professional demographic with fervor is Canon and Nikon; which is better between those two depends on what you value most (e.g. focus performance, image quality/sensor performance, resolution, colours rendered, frame rate, etc.)

@cirtapfotos... 5 year old sensor? How old do you think the Sony sensor in Fuji's GFX was when it was sourced? I made its debut 3 years after the sensor had been used in the Pentax 645z, and Hasselblad 50c.... so what?

MyReality...and likewise while the Canon sensors are more than acceptable, if not state of the art, Pentax AF is quite acceptable, if not state of the art. Again, choose the right tool for the job. In my case, the K1 does it better than any Canon, or Nikon, for that matter.

@MyReality, it's not about where something's used but rather if that something is feasible and makes sense to your photography. That's what matters. Whether someone uses an 800mm f/5.6 lens at the Olympics doesn't make 'any-never-mind' to most photographers on the planet as far as their photography is concerned. Equipment is going to perform the same in a particular climate or condition whether you're using that equipment at the "olympics" or not.

Whether someone uses a D4 mated to a 500mm f4, at the Olympics or shooting University sports doesn't matter. Either you can make good use of a lens/equipment or not. Either you can afford the equipment or not. Sure, people are interested in what's being used at the Olympics for gee-whiz, but that's not because it's "relevant" to their photography.

Whether pro or amateur, you simply choose the tool that fits you best, irrespective of what others are using.

@Teila Day - I agree with your first statement. but that was not the point I was trying to make. I mentioned the Olympics, because 60% percent of the equipment used there was Canon, which is continuously maligned on this forum.All equipment has limitations but pros have to compete against each other so they use what the perceive to be the best.I am currently using a 5 year old Canon body with a 100-300mmL lens from the 1990's, but I do not think the pros would want to use that.There are photographers who think they must have the best even though they do not need it.

@MyReality... I understand where you're coming from now. You just have to ignore some of those folks. On a professional level, the difference between shooting Canon/Nikon is mere hair splitting in most cases, and more of a personal choice.

For the record a 5 year old Canon body and lens from the 90's is easily still viable for professional work. I will occasionally use an old Nikon D2hs (4mp) mated to a 17-35 f/2.8 lens (1999) to take some shots for the web. Other times I'll put that old lens on a Canon 5D2 via cheap adapter and shoot.

Remember, it's not about whether or not it's old... it's about whether or not you can still benefit and or make money from a particular piece of equipment. ;)

If the handheld pixel shift does work, this will be nice for me. Handheld pixel shift should be useful in some dimly lit places where tripods are often disallowed, such as churches. Low light performance should be increased and so this will be a good thing.

Theoretically you gain two stops from the accelerator chip and the noise averageing from four successive PS shots. At one quarter the shutter speed you should have a similar amount of movements as the original K1 without pixel shift

Well from my perspective Pentax in recent years have said that their main focus is delivering great IQ - which they do, especially given the price point. They also focus on ergonomics / usability which I really like. But they don't claim to be focused on providing the best video or the best sports AF, and while I'm sure Pentaxians would love to see improvements in those areas, I think Pentax's focus is quite accepted in the community. Certainly I would hate them to focus on video if it was at the expense of one of the strengths.

@RobYou bet wrong. The 5DM4 had 2 stops of improvement and the hate was high even *with* having 4k. The K1 has a very low performing Autofocus even after this improvement... the only thing I think is way better: the price.

@utphoto.That's only a sign that you don't understand for what the Codec is best for. MJPEG ist the best to have a Every-Frame-Is-A-Picture Video, so it's optimized for taking out Stills. I have to admit that they should give us a choice between H264 and MJPG, but telling that it's only an inefficient codec is simply wrong.

If hand-held Pixel Shift actually works, I'll pay the $550 upgrade price. Pixel Shift is great for landscapes, and some movement is not too hard to deal with. Just take a non-PS image and mask in the problem areas in Photoshop, in practice it just takes a few minutes. This is a killer tech that I would like to see further refined, especially in regards to software.

Yes I think I'll be upgrading my K-1 as well. Improved SR, PS, processing speed and AF: Sounds like a very good deal to me! Thank you Pentax for giving us such options, it shows you have much respect for your customers!

I'm a Nikon FF user. Previously started in photography using an APS-C Pentax. I switched to Nikon when was launched the D800. I was impressed by the performance of the pixel shift technology on the K-1 having downloaded their sample images (improvement of resolution-color reproduction and almost digital MF feeling). Only issue: you can use only with static objects and shooting with a tripod. A big snag. I think this hand-held pixel shift technology on the Mark II can be the game changer. If it works fine, puts them ahead, otherwise they will continue to lag behind the big names. Very curious to read the first reviews with real images.

Well, pixel shift is great, but doesn't like movement. The dynamic mode makes it possible to shoot hand-held, but there still should not be any movement within the scene. I'm almost sure this new mode cannot be used with shorter exposure times, and it won't always work. You've got to shake it properly. All it takes is a strong coffee or no alcohol for a longer time. I'm happy with the K-1 as it is. It comes down to how successful this dynamic mode works, and maybe the additional f-stop from the afterburner unit is more practical in real life. We'll see.

Out of 12,000 pentaxians in my group almost 50% bought a K-1 roughly. Considering how small the actual full frame market is, that's not a bad uptick. They did pretty well with the K-1 as well as the K-3 and 645-Z.

And yet some would see similarity with a tank in the flat, angular design and implied heavy build quality enough to use a simile such as used by Ben of the North... Not all tanks have cannon. Some are even purpose built without them ;)

Thanks for the enlightenment, Death69. I hadn't realized that was a metaphor for robustness and rugged build. If it weren't for you I'd still be thinking it was a crazy, senseless analogy.I'm considering a move to the UK. You're all so bright over there.

If it is built like my other K cameras then yes, it is a total tank. My K-7 has seen at least 3 drops to hard asphalt and still works fine. My K-5 didn't survive as well, but it did bounce off the lens when it fell. Such is life I guess.

:A "new camera with improved tech" using a sensor from 2012? Sorry but you gotta be joking me.

When the original K-1 came out I already found ridiculous that after so much fanfare and expectation they built it around this old sensor, but that they now carry it over yet again for the mkII, is beyond hilarious.

There's a lot more to a camera then just the sensor. The bottom line is that even by today's standards a 2012 sensor with modern imaging pipeline is still top notch and capable of more then 90% of photogs on DPReview are capable of.

DPR asked if we'll be upgrading from the K1 to the Mark II. My answer is probably.

The determining factors for me will be how well Pentax delivers on the Signal/Noise ratio and their promised better Greens and Blues. It might be a convoluted answer on the Noise, because I will want to make use of the RAW image file and I'm unclear if the "accelerator unit's" output will be captured in the RAW files or only in the JPEG files.

So, I'm hoping that in the next couple of months, DPR will shed more light on that. I am stupidly fixated on Image Quality, so I want the upgrade to work!!

The KP has exactly the same accelerator unit, which imho is an extremely precise, noisefree upstream amplifier, maybe even with built-in xtremely linear hi precision ADCs. And this works also for RAW. The RAWs of a KP/K70 are way better than any other APSC camera and even rivalling some of the best fullframe cameras. A KP is not really worse on low light shooting than a K1! Which will change now, as we see the Ki II inheriting the same chip.

Thanks Lotz. Sounds like the noise clean up is before the Raw is processed/saved. That'll probably do it for me to upgrade. One of my few complaints about the K-1 is if you don't get a picture fully exposed, it tends to be noisier than, e.g., the Nikon D810 (my competitive Son's Camera), even at ISO 3200. Improving the S/N may hopefully improve that.

My guess is, that this will exactly be, what you'll see on the K1 II: better S/N with even better shadow recoverability. I do not own a K1, but from what I've read around the web, the K1 should be even better than the D810 in the respect of dynamic range i.e. shadow recoverability? But I guess, if the K1 is slightly behind a D810, as you report, the Mk II should be noticeably in front.

Markus may be overselling the coprocessor. It's probably inserted after the analog amplification and ADCs and before the jpeg engine. It looks at the RAW data and runs sophisticated NR algorithms on them, and in PS mode it takes RAW data from several frame buffers and compares, aligns, and combines them.

I'm with Pentax all the way -- and by Pentax I specifically mean any legacy employees of Asahi Optical Company, not Ricoh per se (to whom I am grateful for their retention of the Pentax heritage of "thinking-out-of-the-box" innovation (e.g., the gimbaled screen on the back of the K-1, WR before almost anyone, in-body SR and sensor shift for perspective tweaks (the former brilliant, the latter more useful than you may have tried), pixel-shift, now pixel-shift MkII, etc.

K-1 -- First full frame, but a home run on the first pitch.

K-3/3ii -- the final exemplary form of APS-C . . . from any maker.

K-7/5/3 body form -- best looking, most ergonomic DSLR in existence.

I'm of the firm opinion that the single worst mistake a new DSLR shooter can make is to not get a Pentax K-3ii (price right now!!!!), K-70, or K-1.

I like the line...."and by Pentax I specifically mean any legacy employees of Asahi Optical Company". My college roommate had Pentax film camera in early 80s, and other person in my college year had Nikon FM...I could not get either of the two because they had them for years and so I went for Canon (T90) because of its revolutionary design by Colani. Long story short, I tried out K-1 at a local photo expo. It had 24-70 I believe. Both were built like a tank, and liked the weight and size....with Mark II I might finally go for it. BTW, I too have Leica M9, and others like the Q, A7RIII, 1DSmkIII, etc.

That's a cute riposte, fox, but no, new DSLR shooters, by and large, aren't doing video more sophisticated than they can already get with an iPhone, nor are they wanting sophisticated flash systems crack off the bat, and they have a lot to learn before they're positioned in a fast turn at a Formula 1 race.

I look forward to seeing the results from - hand held pixel shift, another usable stop of ISO to the raw file, and improved AF algorithms. Hand held pixel shift is a complex undertaking and could be very impressive. Another stop = clean ISO 25600? Nice. New AF algorithms will probably require new motors like the ring SDM motor that will be in the new DFA*50/1.4 or DFA*85/1.4 lenses. We'll see what lenses they announce at CP+. Maybe release dates on the 50 and the DA* 11-18. Could be an interesting year for Pentax users.

@ fantastic You pay extra 50 $ for updated camera with PS handheld and accelerator unit. Don't forget k1 price is equal to some micro four thirds and crop camera.Fuji camp are very happier just for adding IBIS on their camera.we have IBIS and the application of it since decade.

You meant to say pay$550.And you are right that is how much some cameras with more functionality such as 4k video, faster FPS, touchscreens with touch focus/shutter, electronic shutters,etc cost.This looks to be a very good camera, but limited compared to what many other cameras can do in 2018.I am sure just as some still use flip phones with no Internet, some will say this camera is enough and they don't need all those new fangled gizmos. Their grandparents didn't need decent video capabilities in their cameras and so they don't either.

Nothing limiting about this camera, no more than a Phaseone is limited or a 10x8 field camera is limited or a iPhone camera is limited. Having bells and whistles is not unlimiting a camera. If 4k video was important to me I would buy a video camera, same goes if fps was a concern then something else, but to get a camera with lots of fps and a focus system to match and buffer puts you in a different league.The reason I don't shoot video is because its of no use to me, what do you do with a hotch potch of 15 second clips of people blowing out candles etc? Video as far as I can see is only of use if you plan a film, begining middle and end. Anything else use your phone.

I know how you feel. If I wanted to buy a car that was safe, I'd buy one with anti-lock breaks and airbags.

Just because a car lacks certain features such as power stearing and airbags does mean it cannot be driven. There are many cars with big powerful engines that are faster than most but lack airbags, power breaks, and power stearing.

No matter this is a top of the line camera and should work well with the newly announced Tamron DSLR F4 zoom.

I use a K1 alongside a 1Dx, I shoot mostly with the K1, I know its problems, buffer and focus can get confused, but still I use it the most. Now if I could only have one camera to shoot professional jobs with the 1DX would win hands down. Everything it does it does brilliantly, never misses a beat, it would tackle anything you want, the safe option. Now if I was told I am only allowed one camera in my life it would be a Rolleiflex, no airbags orpower steering, or electric windows :-).

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